Alexander Zverev Beats Ben Shelton to Win the US Open

Alexander Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 to win the 2026 US Open, claiming his second major title of the season after winning the French Open.

Key Takeaways

• Alexander Zverev claimed his first US Open title by defeating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2.
• This marks Zverev’s second Grand Slam crown of 2026, building on his Roland Garros victory earlier this summer.
• Ben Shelton fought hard, taking the third set, but fell short in his bid to end the long-standing American men’s Grand Slam drought dating back to 2003.
• Zverev becomes the first German man to win the New York major since Boris Becker.

Alexander Zverev is a US Open champion.

Zverev defeated American hopeful Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 in a hard-fought Flushing Meadows final on Sunday. The victory secures Zverev’s second Grand Slam title of 2026, cementing a stellar season that also included his triumph at Roland Garros.

Shelton was seeking to become the first American man to capture a major singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003. While Shelton electrified the home crowd by taking a tense third set with explosive serving and fierce forehands, Zverev's tactical discipline and baseline consistency prevailed in four sets.

Zverev becomes the first German man to lift the US Open trophy since Boris Becker in 1989. In his post-match remarks, Zverev admitted he was so absorbed in the final tiebreak moments that he initially did not realize the final serve had ended the match.